Do the Green Bay Packers division rivals have a brighter future?
By Todd Welter
The Green Bay Packers watched the playoffs at home for the first time since the 2018 season. After winning the NFC North Division title for three straight seasons, the Minnesota Vikings were able to wrestle away the title thanks to Green Bay going through a midseason losing streak.
The Packers tried to recover and make the playoffs, but the Detroit Lions saw to it that Green Bay would miss the playoffs when they handed the Pack a season finale loss.
Now the Green Bay Packers are at a crossroads this offseason.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers might retire. If he does return for another season, general manager Brian Gutekunst will then have to decide about Jordan Love’s future with the franchise.
Gutekunst will have to decide if he wants to pick up the fifth-year option on the quarterback he traded up to draft in the first round.
If Rodgers does decide to come back for another NFL season, there is the possibility that No. 12 might want out of Green Bay. There is also a report that the Packers might move on from Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers’ future is just one of many offseason items that must be addressed.
Gutekunst also must figure out the Packers’ salary cap issue. Green Bay is currently projected to be about $16 million over the cap heading into the 2023 offseason. It could mean left tackle David Bakhtiari’s time in Green Bay is over, as he is set to count around $28 million towards the cap. That is a hefty price for a lineman who will be 32 next season and has battled injuries the last couple of seasons (although he could rework his deal).
The Packers will have 18 players eligible for free agency once the NFL’s 2023 league year kicks off. Robert Tonyan, Allen Lazard, Adrian Amos, Mason Crosby, Mercedes Lewis, and Jarran Reed all could be gone.
The Packers are facing a murky quarterback situation, a tough salary cap situation, and potentially losing key starters or contributors to free agency (or being cut to solve the salary cap problem).
It is not looking good for Green Bay to reclaim its hold on the NFC North anytime soon. Compounding that are two division rivals, the Chicago Bears and the Lions, who feel like they have a bright future. The Vikings still have a talented roster as well.
Then again, maybe the Packers’ situation is not as bad as it looks.